Sustain the Weary

“The Lord GOD has given Me the tongue of disciples, that I may know how to sustain the weary one with a word. He awakens Me morning by morning, He awakens My ear to listen as a disciple.” Isaiah 50:4

The above words, spoken prophetically by Isaiah, truly describe Jesus’ life when he walked this earth: Jesus knew how to sustain the weary one with a word. He brought hope to the hopeless, life to the dying, comfort to the grief-stricken, peace to the distraught.

Since we are to follow in his steps, how can we “sustain the weary one with a word”? We are surrounded by people who are life-weary and heart-sick, but we don’t seem to always be doing that good a job at sustaining them – strengthening, encouraging, uplifting, supporting.

Take time to identify someone in your life who is hurting, then seek to sustain them by:

• Spending time really listening. Remember, a three-minute conversation on Sunday morning or on a lunch break at work isn’t going to sustain the soul of someone in trouble. If your life is busy, schedule in time to be a good friend.

• Avoiding platitudes. When people are hurting, the last thing they need is a flip response that minimizes their pain.

• Choosing your words carefully. We tend to ramble on when we are nervous. Think about what you want to say, say it quietly and succinctly, and then stop.

• Accepting silence. Don’t be afraid of silence. Sometimes, there is nothing that can be said in the moment of grief.